Stirrups for floor exercise



Aug. 11, 1936. J E m 2,050,652

STIRRUPS FOR FLOOR EXERCISE Filed Aug. 20, 1935 INVENTOR j ffl Q4 0:

A TTORNEY Patented Aug. 11, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE STIRRUPS FOR FLOOR EXERCISE John Amos Fleming, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application August 20, 1935, Serial No. 37,047

1 Claim.

My invention relates to that class of apparatus which is used for exercising, and particularly to exercises which are taken with the body lying on the 'floor. Heretofore when the exercise consists of a person lying flat on the back and raising the torso upright from the hips, the great difficulty has been to prevent the feet from also rising. To obviate this difficulty many devices have been used, such as placing the feet under a bed or a heavy chair. Often this has resulted in abrasions of the skin of the feet or insteps.

The purpose of my invention is to provide a simple means whereby the feet can be held on or near the floor during the exercise and at the same time accomplish this with an apparatus which is so small and light in weight that it can be carried in the pocket or in a traveling bag. This makes it especially desirable for use by persons when traveling. My invention is adapted to be placed under and adjacent to a door and quickly secured in position. The feet then being placed in the loops the apparatus is ready for use.

I illustrate my invention by means of the accompanying drawing in which similar numerals refer to similar parts in the several views. Figure 1 is an isometric view of the device with the loops in an extended position. Figure 2 is an end view with the device in position under a door. Figure 3 is a side elevation of one of the guide blocks and locking screw. Figure 4 shows a man with his feet in the stirrups and in position for exercise.

The construction of my device is as follows:

The device consists of a body preferably made of sheet steel and having a vertical member I0, a horizontal base flange adapted to be placed between the underside of the door and the floor, and an upper flanged member l2. The base member is provided with sharp points l3 on its upper side and which are intended to be forced into the under side of the door when the device is in use. Secured to the vertical member ID and under the upper flanged member |2 are two or more guide blocks 4, the same being held in rigid position by means of the screws I5, or by other suitable means. Threaded through the guide blocks l4 are the screws l6, these screws having knurled upper ends to facilitate manual operation. The lower ends of the screws l6 have a reduced diameter and have loosely mounted thereon the nuts H which have no threads and so allow the screws to turn freely therein and are held in position by the peened end of the screws l6. One side of the nuts bears against the guide blocks I4 which prevents the nuts from turning.

The upper flanged member I2 is preferably inclined downwardly from the top of the vertical member and is provided with a slot l8 near one end, and two slots l9 and 20 near the center, and two more slots 2| and 22 near the other end. These slots are for the purpose of inserting a pair of loops 23 and to provide adjustment of the loops. The loops 23 are preferably made of webbing or canvas, but may be made of any material which has good tensile strength and is flexible. The 10 loops are assembled in the upper flanged member I! by inserting one end upwardly through the slot l8 and then downwardly through the center slot [9, then upwardly through the center slot 20, then downwardly through the first end slot 2| 16 and upwardly through the end slot 22. The end of the loop under the first slot I8 is folded on itself and riveted through the fold so that it cannot pull out of the slot. The height of the two loops 23 may be varied by adjusting the webbing in the 20 various slots such as l9 and 20 and also the slots 2| and 22. These two slots 2| and 22 are so close together that they will hold the loop material in any desired position. Holes 24 are provided through which the screws l6 protrude to a height 5 which permits manual adjustment.

The operation of my device is as follows:

The loops 23 having been assembled and adjusted in the slots of the upper flanged member I2, the lower flange II is pushed along the floor until it is under the bottom of the door. The screws, carrying with them the nuts H are screwed down by hand until they bear upon the floor thus forcing the lower flange upwardly against the under side of the door, the contact 5 between the said lower flange and the under side of the door being made more secure by the action of the points |3 penetrating the under side of the door. The user then places his or her feet through the loops 23 with the body resting flat 40 on the floor. Then when performing the exercise of raising the torso from a flat position to the position shown in Figure 4, the feet being held in the extended position by the loops 23, the difficulty of holding the limbs and feet in a hori- 5 zontal position is eliminated. The loops 23 being of flexible material they can be folded about the vertical and the flanged members so that it can be readily carried in the pocket or other convenient place such as a traveling bag.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

In a device of the class described, a body member having integral therewith a lower flanged member, said lower member having upwardly prosisting of lugs on the said body member and screws operating therethrough for the purpose of producing direct pressure against the floor and indirect pressure of the lower flanged member and the said points against the under side of the 5 said door.

JOHN AMOS FLEMING. 

